Tyler Junior College men’s basketball coach Mike Marquis speaks during the 22nd Annual Region XIV Conference Media Tipoff on Oct. 15 at Tyler Junior College.

Shahada Wells, one of the top players to come through TJC since NBA standout Jimmy Butler, and Apaches head coach Mike Marquis earned top honors on the All-Region XIV Basketball Team, the league’s coaches announced.

Wells was named Player of the Year, receiving the most votes among the coaches who vote on the team.

Tyler Junior College teammate Deandre Deckard joined Wells on the first-team of the East Zone as they formed one of the most dynamic guard duos in the nation.

Marquis was tabbed Coach of the Year for the East Division with Nick Wade the Coach of the Year for the South Zone.

Wells, who scored 30-plus points nine times on the season, averaged 21.6 points for the season and 24.6 ppg during conference. He also averaged 6.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 2.4 steals. He was an 81 percent free throw shooter as well as 47 percent from 3-point and 55 percent overall.

Wells, a 5-10 sophomore from Amarillo, has signed with the University of Texas at Arlington.

Heckard, a 6-1 sophomore from Romeoville, Illinois, has signed with Stephen F. Austin State University. Heckard averaged 12.7 points a game as well as 6.0 assists. He shot 83 percent at the free throw line and 39 percent from three. He was 56 percent from the field.

Marquis led the Apaches to one of their best seasons, record-wise 25-3, since the TJC national championship teams in 1949 (36-1) and 1951 (34-3). Tyler also won the Region XIV regular season with a 17-2 record, sweeping the South Zone while two games on the road to Kilgore and Bossier Parish in the rugged East Zone.

They earned the No. 1 seed in the postseason tournament but were upset by Jacksonville College, 89-88. Despite their achievements the Apaches were snubbed by the NJCAA Tournament Selection Committee as the group overlooked their No. 11 ranking as well as being in the top 10 most of the season.

Joining Wells and Heckard on the East Zone first-team were Trinity Valley Community’s Dashawn Davis (6-3 freshman forward, Bronx, New York), and Kilgore College’s Michael Thomas (6-4 freshman guard, Lake Charles, Louisiana) and Rodrigue Tha Andela (6-8 sophomore forward, Yaounde, Cameroon).

TJC had three players earn honorable mention — Jason Bush Jr. (6-6 sophomore guard, Longview); Rory Pantophlet (6-9 sophomore forward, Sint Maarten, a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Caribbean) and Keiffer Punter (6-4 sophomore forward, Bronx, New York).

Bush has signed with Texas State-San Marcos with Pantophlet and Punter slated to sign in April.

Earning first-team honors on the South Zone team were Angelina College’s Travis Henson (6-6, sophomore guard, Baltimore); Jacksonville College’s Nick Gazelas (6-4 freshman guard, Galveston); Blinn College’s Tristan Ipke (6-6 sophomore forward, Deer Park) and A.J. Rainey (5-11 sophomore, Gray, Louisiana); and Lamar State-Port Arthur’s Devaughn Thomas (6-7 sophomore guard, Lafayette, Louisiana).

All-Region XIV Basketball Team

Player of the Year — Shahada Wells, Tyler Junior College

East Zone

Coach of the Year — Mike Marquis, Tyler Junior College

First Team

Shahada Wells, Tyler Junior College

Deandre Heckard, Tyler Junior College

Dashawn Davis, Trinity Valley Community College

Michael Thomas, Kilgore College

Rodrigue Tha Andela, Kilgore College

Second Team

Akol Mawein, Navarro College

Anderson Mirambeaux, Trinity Valley Community College

E.J. Clark, Bossier Parish Community College

Kelyn Pennie, Panola College

Cameron Gooden, Kilgore

Honorable Mention

Tyler Junior College: Jason Bush Jr., Rory Pantophlet, Kieffer Punter.

Navarro College: Souleymane Doumbia, Brian Washington.

Bossier Parish Community College: Paul King, Diamante Brown.

Panola College: Kamari Brown, Jermaine Drewey.

Paris Junior College: Starlin Hamilton.

Kilgore College: Ty McMillan.

South Zone

Coach of the Year — Will Wade, Angelina College

First Team

Travis Henson, Angelina College

Nick Gazelas, Jacksonville College

Tristan Ipke, Blinn College

Devaughn Thomas, Lamar State-Port Arthur

A.J. Rainey, Blinn College

Second Team

Christyon Eugene, Angelina College

Jackson Makoi, Lee College

Azariah Seay, Blinn College

Jacob Brown, Victoria College

Ishmael Cruz-Paris, Lee College

Honorable Mention

Coastal Bend College: Elijah Moleon, Lance Amir-Paul, Eammanuel White.

Jacksonville College: Dancell Leter.

Lamar State-Port Arthur: Jamyus Jones, J’Son Brooks.

Blinn College: Pedro Castro.

Angelina College: Gwarren Douglas, Kyron Gibson.

Lee College: Keontae White, Chris Osten.